With a loud, powerful shout, a bright red silk curtain fell to the ground. Instantly, the cheers of thousands of people erupted, reaching the sky.
This was a golden statue of the Crown Prince, holding a sword in one hand and a flower in the other, symbolizing "possessing the power to destroy the world but still cherishing flowers." The statue's face was gentle, with long eyebrows, beautiful eyes, and a slight smile that was both warm and compassionate.
This was the eight-thousandth Crown Prince temple within the Divine Joy Kingdom.
In just three years since his ascension, eight thousand temples had been built. Such unprecedented admiration was unmatched in history.
However, this eight-thousandth temple wasn't the most luxurious. On Tai Cang Mountain, where the Crown Prince lived during his youth, the peak was now named "Crown Prince Peak." It was there that the first Divine Joy Palace was built. The first statue of the Crown Prince, five meters tall and made entirely of gold, was unveiled by the ruler himself.
Inside the Divine Joy Palace, visitors came in endless streams, wearing out the thresholds. The incense burners in front of the hall were filled to the brim, and the donation boxes were larger than those in other temples because otherwise, they would be filled within a day.
There was also a clear pool at the entrance, filled with coins, shimmering under the light. The turtles in the pool were often hit by the coins thrown by visitors, hiding in their shells, despite the monks' attempts to stop them.
The high red walls of the palace were filled with plum trees, their branches tied with countless red prayer ribbons, creating a sea of flowers with ribbons fluttering in the wind.
Inside the main hall, Xie Lian sat solemnly beneath his statue, observing the visitors. Though invisible to them, he could hear their discussions:
"Why aren't there any kneeling cushions in this Crown Prince temple?"
"Yeah, even the temple master said we shouldn't kneel. What's going on?"
Someone explained, "It's your first time here, right? All Divine Joy Palaces are like this. They say the Crown Prince appeared in dreams to many temple masters, saying his followers need not kneel. So, there are no kneeling places in the Crown Prince temples."
Though unseen, Xie Lian nodded. But then, others laughed, "What kind of logic is that? Aren't gods meant to be knelt to? Must be a rumor."
Xie Lian was taken aback. Another chimed in, "Exactly, kneeling shows sincerity!"
"Even without cushions, we can kneel on the ground."
So, one person knelt, and soon hundreds followed, inside and outside the hall, bowing and praying. Xie Lian quietly moved aside, thinking, "Oh well, it'll take time."
Suddenly, a wave of voices surged towards him from all directions.
"Please let me pass the exams! I'll repay if I succeed!"
"Safe travels!"
"The girl I like prefers my senior, please make him less attractive, I beg you."
"Damn it, I refuse to believe I can't have a chubby son!!!"
The requests were endless, making Xie Lian's head spin. He quickly made a gesture to block out the noise. Just as he found peace, a loud shout came from behind the hall. A man in black, covering his ears, stormed out, yelling, "What kind of nonsense is this!!!"
The visitors, oblivious to his presence, continued their prayers. Xie Lian sighed, patted the man's shoulder, and said with a smile, "Feng Xin, thank you for your hard work."
With the Divine Joy Palace so popular, Xie Lian heard thousands of prayers daily. Initially, he enthusiastically handled everything himself, but as the prayers increased, he delegated some to Feng Xin and Mu Qing. They sorted through the requests, passing the important ones to him.
Mu Qing never complained, but Feng Xin often couldn't understand why people made such bizarre requests, even asking for harmony in their intimate lives at the Divine Joy Palace. As a martial god, Xie Lian couldn't handle such matters. Over time, other deities also voiced their opinions, suggesting they were taking on too much without delivering results. Feng Xin, still covering his ears, said, "Your Highness, why do you have so many female followers?"
Xie Lian, hands folded in his sleeves, sat amidst the incense smoke, smiling, "Isn't it nice to have many female followers? Beautiful women are pleasing to the eye."
Feng Xin shuddered, "Not at all. Female followers only seem to wish for beauty, good marriages, and sons. It's all so trivial, it gives me a headache!"
Xie Lian chuckled, about to respond, when suddenly, there was a commotion outside. The two looked out and heard someone whisper, "Little Mirror King is here, let's go! Little Mirror King is here!"
At the mention of "Little Mirror King," everyone reacted as if they heard "Great Demon King," panicking and fleeing. In an instant, like a tornado passing through, the worshippers scattered. Soon, a young man in a luxurious cloak, holding a glass lamp, strutted in. Without looking at his eyes, the young man resembled Xie Lian by three or four points. But his eyes were too flamboyant and bright, revealing him as Qi Rong.
Now seventeen or eighteen, Qi Rong had grown into his looks and had some noble demeanor. He entered alone, not allowing his followers to accompany him. Holding the lamp, he knelt on the clean floor, raised the lamp above his head, and solemnly bowed several times. Xie Lian and Feng Xin exchanged glances, with Feng Xin clicking his tongue in annoyance.
Three years ago, when Xie Lian left the capital to wander, Qi Rong was still under house arrest. Upon his return, he didn't have a chance to see his cousin before ascending in his sleep. Over the years, Xie Lian had appeared in dreams to his parents, the national teacher, and even Qi Rong once, advising him to be kind and restrain himself. So, Qi Rong eagerly participated in building temples, donating, and offering lamps.
Though he worked diligently and appeared devout, he still occasionally caused trouble, leaving Feng Xin to clean up his messes, which explained Feng Xin's impatience.
After finishing his prayers, Qi Rong complained, "Cousin, this is the fifth hundredth lamp I've offered for you. As a loyal brother, when will you come see me? At least visit me in a dream. Uncle and Aunt miss you dearly, and you ignore us, acting so distant."
Feng Xin reminded Xie Lian, "Don't respond to him. The Emperor told you, unless it's a major event, gods must not reveal themselves to mortals. Especially not to relatives."
Xie Lian replied, "Don't worry, I know."
Qi Rong, holding the lamp, began writing on it. Xie Lian and Feng Xin, wary of him, leaned in to see what he was writing. It was a normal wish for peace and prosperity, not a curse for someone's family to be executed at the market. Relieved, they watched Qi Rong write carefully, and Xie Lian recalled another incident.
When Qi Rong first returned with his mother, there was a time when a group of nobles went to Tai Cang Mountain to pray. Qi Rong's mother, having eloped with a commoner, was too ashamed to show her face, but wanted her son to gain experience. She asked the Empress to take Qi Rong along.
Despite trying to keep a low profile, noble scandals spread faster than arrows. Everyone knew about his mother and him. On the way, noble children excluded Qi Rong, refusing to talk or play with him. Xie Lian, playing on a swing, saw all the children helping him, proud to push the Crown Prince. From the highest point, he noticed Qi Rong hiding behind his mother, looking up at him with envy.
At the Divine Martial Hall, after the adults offered lamps and went to consult with the national teachers, the children stayed behind to play with small lamps. Qi Rong, unaware that the Empress had already offered a lamp for them, wanted to offer one himself. He asked around for words to bless his mother.
Some children, influenced by their elders, disliked him and decided to trick him. Xie Lian, having finished writing his own lamp, heard laughter behind him and turned to see Qi Rong, covered in ink, proudly holding a lamp with the words "May Mother and I soon ascend to heaven - Qi Rong."
Xie Lian smashed the lamp in anger.
Though young, he scared all the noble children into silence. After calming down, Xie Lian personally wrote a new lamp for Qi Rong, and no one dared to play tricks again. On the way down the mountain, Qi Rong came out from behind the Empress and helped push Xie Lian on the swing. Though shorter, he pushed with all his might, still looking up at him, but now with admiration instead of envy. Later, he became Xie Lian's shadow, following "Cousin Crown Prince" everywhere.
Admittedly, Qi Rong was once relatively normal, but somehow grew more crooked. In the past three years, Xie Lian had too many people and things to focus on, unable to keep track of old acquaintances.
Lost in thought, Qi Rong finished offering the lamp and prepared to leave. But as he backed away, he bumped into someone. Stumbling, he turned and cursed without looking, "What's wrong with you? Are you blind or dead, not knowing to move?"
Xie Lian and Feng Xin both covered their faces, thinking, "He hasn't changed. Still the same!"
Perhaps because he spent his first five years with his father, Qi Rong picked up some of his father's roughness and temper. Despite the Empress's patient teachings, when agitated, as the national teacher said, he would "reveal his true nature." The one who blocked Qi Rong was a young man in ragged clothes, about twenty-four or twenty-five, carrying a simple pack, his straw sandals worn thin. Though weary, with dry lips and sunken cheeks, his features were handsome, and he was lean but strong, with bright eyes. He asked, "Where is this place?"
Qi Rong replied, "This is the Divine Joy Palace, the Crown Prince's temple!"
The man murmured, "Crown Prince's temple? Crown Prince? Is this the palace?" Seeing the golden statue, he asked, "Is this gold?"
He mistook the temple for the palace due to its grandeur. A servant stepped forward to drive him away, saying, "Of course it's gold. The Crown Prince's temple is a god's temple, not the palace's Crown Prince's temple! You don't even know this place, where did you come from?"
The man said, "Then where is the palace?"
Qi Rong squinted, "Why do you want to know?"
The man earnestly replied, "I need to see the ruler. I have something to tell him."
Qi Rong and the servants laughed, their faces showing disdain, "Where did this bumpkin come from? What do you want at the palace? You think you can just see the ruler? You won't even get past the gate."
Unfazed by their mockery, the man said, "I'll try. Maybe I can."
Qi Rong laughed, "Then go try." He pointed in the wrong direction. The man said, "Thank you," adjusted his pack, and headed out. On the stone bridge, he stopped and looked down. Through the clear water, he saw layers of coins at the bottom.
After a moment's thought, the young man climbed over the bridge railing and jumped into the pool.
His movements were agile, and once in the pool, he began scooping up coins, stuffing them into his pack. Xie Lian and Feng Xin were stunned, never having seen someone dare to steal from a god. Qi Rong was also shocked, then furious, shouting, "What the hell! What are you doing?! Get him out of there!!! I swear!!!"
Several servants jumped in to pull him out, but the young man was skilled, fending them off with punches and kicks. Qi Rong was livid, while the monks were helpless. The young man, with a pack full of coins, was about to climb out when he slipped on algae, falling back into the water. The servants seized the chance to capture him and drag him ashore. Qi Rong kicked him, cursing, "You dare steal this money!"
Feng Xin, standing nearby, subtly blocked Qi Rong's kicks, so they landed lightly. Though Qi Rong couldn't see Feng Xin's interference, he felt something was off, like being restrained by a ghost, frustrated by his ineffective kicks. The young man, possibly choking on water, coughed and said, "The money's just sitting in the pool, why can't I use it to save people?"
Qi Rong, annoyed by his unsatisfying kicks, finally asked, "Save who? Who are you? Where are you from?"
He wanted to pin a crime on the young man and imprison him, but the young man, earnest, replied, "I'm Lang Ying, from Eternal Peace. There's a drought there, no water, crops can't grow, people have no food or money. Here, there's water, food, and money, using gold for statues and throwing money in water. Why can't you share some with us?"
Eternal Peace was a major city in the Divine Joy Kingdom. Xie Lian stood up, concerned, "Feng Xin, is there a drought in Eternal Peace? Why haven't I heard?"
Feng Xin replied, "I don't know, I haven't heard either. Let's ask Mu Qing later."